Card tray



J. PIPE CARD TRAY Oct. 25, 1966 5 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1965 20a. and .206

I N VENTOR. uOH/V P/PE 14 FTUIQ UEVS Oct. 25, 1966 J. PIPE 3,280,822

ARD TRAY Filed Oct. 15, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BM M /a 3o 36 as 3 F I CV2 354 SW" 1 26 356 34115 34a 34 35a INVENTOR. JOHN P/PE J. PIPE CARD TRAY Oct. 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 15, 1965 JU/M/ BY M INVENTOR. P/PE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,280,822 CARD TRAY John Pipe, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Steelcase, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 505,107 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-29) This is a continuation-in-part application of patent application entitled Card Tray, filed July 2, 1962, Serial No. 206,838 by the applicant herein, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a card tray, and more particularly to a novel card retention tray and compressor apparatus.

Modern business machine techniques utilize data cards extensively. Each card is capable of receiving, storing and rendering information stored in code on the card. In rendering this information, each card must normally be passed through a sorter machine. The card must be completely flat and co-planar to effectuate proper code reading for sorting. However, as is well-known, these cards often tend to become buckled and warped with changing conditions of moisture and temperature. Since warped cards will not faithfully indicate the information stored thereon, various devices and methods of retaining the cards in a co-planar manner have been devised heretofore.

Of the devices intended to hold the cards co-planar in the card tray, none of the known apparatuses have been capable of actually applying a large compressive force distributed uniformly over the entire surface of the stacked cards in the card tray. Rather, prior devices are characterized by the use of an element which has one end tiltable by a cam operated with a handle. These apply only a small holding force, and then only along one edge of the stacked cards. In fact, with these prior art devices, the actual force applied to the card is determined largely by the manual force which a person can place on it. The result is that a card warping problem still persists.

Another disadvantage of conventional card tray holding mechanisms available heretofore is that they do not compress the stack of cards tightly enough as to prevent their falling out of the card tray if the tray happens to be tipped with the open side down.

Prior sliding type card holding mechanisms for card trays are also characterized by being difiicult to manipulate between the locked condition and the unlocked sliding condition to enable card removal. Both hands are often required to do this.

Another serious limitation of prior card tray apparatus involves the two different operations of (1) tray filling, i.e. machine unloading, and (2) tray emptying, i.e. machine loading. Since the dato cards are customarily placed in a specific arrangement in the tray, the single cards being loaded into the tray from a sorting machine must be inserted into the tray in the reverse order of their unloading from the tray. This requires inversion of the tray during card insertion. With prior structures, the follower plate must be completely removed from the tray when the tray is inverted since cards placed on the plate would slide back out of the tray. The cards must therefore rest on the narrow handle. This tends to deform the lower cards. Further, the re-insertion of the plate is diflicult at best. Moreover, since room must be left between the end of the sliding track for the plate at the end of the case, this lowers the card capacity of the tray.

It is an object of this invention to provide a card tray mechanism having a unique slidable element that is actually capable of compressing a stack of cards with a considerable force, and with a force that is uniformly applied over the card area. The compressive force is sufliciently large to absolutely assure against card warpage. Further, it prevents the compressed cards from acci- 3,280,822 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 dentally falling out of the tray, no matter what position the tray assumes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card tray compressor that is easily unlocked from the compressed condition. Moreover, sliding action of the compressor to space the compressor from the cards is achieved in the same sweeping motion as the unlocking action. Thus, with one or two fingers, the compressor is easily unlocked and raised. Moreover, when the compressor is released in its spaced condition above the cards, it remains in that raised position until moved again. The compressor further words well when the data card tray is placed in a horizontal position rather than a vertical position, i.e. to find one card in the stack for a reference.

It is another object of this invention to provide a data card tray and compressor that can be inverted to allow individual reverse placement of cards into the tray in a neat, orderly fashion without removal of the compressor from the tray. In fact, the compressor tilts inwardly of the tray due to its unique cooperation with the tray, to actually prevent cards from slipping out. The compressor moreover provides uniform support to the card area when the tray is inverted rather than having the cards rest on and bend over the case handle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a uniquely interacting combination of card case and compressor to enable unlimited adjustment of the compressor to suit the card stack height without being limited by interfitting notches and projections.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card tray case that is not only capable of cooperating with the unique compressor to allow it to securely hold the cards, but which is inexpensive to form since the main body portion, including a guide track, is formed of one piece of sheet metal. The integral track extends very near the end of the case since the compressor need not be removed, thereby providing greater card capacity for the same length case than conventional trays.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent upon studying the following specification in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel card tray assembly including the case and the compressor in the up right position, and showing the compressor in its neutral position resting on a stack of cards;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational, sectional view of the compressor in its neutral position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational, sectional view of the compressor in its compressing condition;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compressor in its compressing condition;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational, sectional view of the compressor in its released sliding condition;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane VIVI of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the case;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the in verted case, and the inverted compressor supporting cards;

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of the inverted case with the compressor resting on the inverted top and adapted to receive cards thereon;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane XX of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is an end view of a modified form of the assembly, very similar to the first form illustrated; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on plane XIIXII of the modified assembly in FIG. 11.

Basically, the inventive card tray comprises a case including a guide track cooperating with a slidable toggle linkage compressor. The compressor includes a flat surface adapted to contact and compress a stack of cards in the case, a compressing and releasing member adapted to engage the case track at an angle, and having a rectilinear shifting action for compressing and a rotatable action for releasing, a rotatable compressor handle adapted to rotate and release said member, and a link connecting the handle and said member to form a toggle linkage for uniformly and forcefully shifting the compressor against a stack of cards in the case and locking it. The compressing and releasing member is normally spring biased into contact with the case to hold the compressor wherever it is placed. The handle is adapted when rotated to rotate the member against its bias out of contact with the case to allow the compressor to be slid. Thus, the member achieves both holding and card compressing functions by cooperation with the handle either directly, or through an intermediate toggle link.

The compressor, when inverted, tilts downwardly of the case when the front edge rests on the case handle due to clearance between the slide element and the guide track.

Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 the card tray assembly is shown to include case 12, compressor 14 and a stack of cards 16 held between the bottom ledge 18 of case 12 and compressor 14. The main case body essentially comprises a single piece of sheet metal formed into two sides and a back. The back includes an integral guide track 20 (FIG. 6) having two elongated retaining slots formed by the overhanging edges 20a and 20b. At the top of the case is a handle 22 to enable the case to be carried. This handle also serves as part of the stop means for the compressor when the tray is inverted as will be explained hereinafter. Secured in the sheet metal housing is a bottom ledge. or platform 18 (FIG. 7) which slopes downwardly towards the inside of the tray, i.e. away from the open front, so that cards resting thereon will not slide out of the tray.

The novel compressor mechanism 14 includes an inner slide 26 which interfits in the slots of the guide track 20 (FIG. 6) enabling sliding movement therein, but preventing removal therefrom. The compressor includes a compressor plate 28 generally parallel to ledge 18, and having a pair of upwardly turned side flanges 30 and 32. Secured between the side flanges by a pair of laterally extending tabs 35a and 35b (FIGS. 1, 4, 7, 8 and 10) is a handle-mounting bracket 34 pivotally mounted on slide 26 by tangs 27 struck out from the slide 26 and having a flat bottom 34a, and a pair of upstanding edges 34b and 340 (FIGS. 1-5), thereby being generally U-shaped in configuration. Bracket 34, being secured to compression plate 20, thereby pivotally mounts plate 28 about a pivot point on tangs 27. The bracket 34 and compressor plate 28 together comprise compressor plate means due to their cooperative relationship as will be clear from the operation described hereinafter. A pair of upwardly projecting generally coplanar integral ears 36 project from said bottom at the outer end of the bracket. Handle 38 is pivotally mounted on these ears by having a pair of slots in the handle to fit around the ears with slight play therebetween, the connection being retained because of the curvature of the upper free ends of the ears (FIG. 2). Slide member 26 includes an upper leg 40 which protrudes toward the front of the bracket, i.e. toward handle 38. On a pair of upwardly turned fingers 40a (FIGS. 2 and 4) of this leg 40 is mounted a releasing member or lever 42 with slots 42a (FIGS. 3 and 4) receiving the fingers. This member enables the functions of releasing, holding and compressing. Member 42 is slightly rotatable 0n the upstanding fingers of leg 40 because of the slight curvature of mounting fingers 40a. It is slightly rectilinearly shiftable thereon toward and away from the track 20 in the back of case 12 because slots 42a are slightly larger (FIG. 3) than fingers 40a. This slight rectilinear shifting is achieved by the past center or over center action to be described hereinafter. Rotatably, member 42 is normally biased by tension spring 46 extending between it and plate 28 to a position with its beveled edges and 42b (FIG. 4) in engagement with the edges 20a and 20b of track 20. This draws the slide 26 toward member 42 to grip portions of the said track therebetween. The inward edge 50 of the handle 38 is engageable with the outer edge of member 42. This enables member 42 to be rotated clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 5) against the bias of coil spring 46 when handle 38 is raised or rotated counterclockwise to its furthest position in that direction. This rotational action in direct cooperation with handle 38 provides the holding and releasing feature.

Member 42 also includes a pair of upwardly projecting, laterally positioned ears or flanges 56. Connecting these ears with handle 38 is a pivotal generally U-shaped link 60. Each of the two parallel legs of link 60 includes an end parallel to the cross member of the U-shaped link. The two leg ends project through flanges 56 (FIG. 4) to therefore be pivotal therewith. Handle 38 includes collars 64 deformed from its surface and pivotally interfitting with the cross member of the U-shaped link 60. The pivotal connections to the compressing and releasing lever 42 and to handle 38 are on parallel axes. This link 60 thus forms a toggle-type, over center linkage between the handle and the member 42. When the three components, handle, link and member are placed in general alignment as in FIG. 3 (that is, with the pivotal connection between link 60 and handle 38 at collar 64 located above the center line through pivotal connections of handle 38 and member 42), member 42 is shifted by link 60 rectilinearly toward track 20 at an angle thereo and with a large mechanical advantage. This action can be initiated merely by depressing handle 38, i.e. rotating it clockwise in the view shown in FIG. 3. In this position of member 42, link 60, and handle 38, member 42 serves the function, by an indirect connection with handle 38. of holding handle 38 and compressor plate 28 in compression position.

The several sheet metal components of the compressor mechanism combine in a manner to assume three specific conditions to achieve the holding function, released sliding function and locked compressing function of the apparatus. The position of the several components during the holding function is illustrated in FIG. 2, during the locked compressing function is illustrated in FIG. 3, and during the released sliding function is illustrated in FIG. 5.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 2, since the sliding element 26 is behind the edges 20a and 20b of track 20 of case 12, and since the member 42 is biased toward the track by coil spring 46, they frictionally grip the track therebetween to hold the compressor element and prevent it from sliding down regardless of its vertical position in the case 12. This is so whether it is resting upon a stack of cards (FIG. 1) or suspended in the air (FIG. 6) and on the track above the cards. The weight of the compressor will tend to cause a slight downward tilt of the plate 28 and bracket 34 when suspended above the cards. This will put tension on spring 46 and cause element 42 to grip the case even tighter. This position is designated as its normal position. From this position, the handle may be lowered causing plate 28 to pivot downwardly to compress the cards or may be raised to allow the unit to be slid. Firstly, to compress the cards, the compressing unit is first placed in contact with the stack of cards, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Then the handle 38 is pivoted downwardly as shown in FIG. 3. This causes the toggle link 60 to pivot past the center line as previously described generally align with the handle and with member 42 to thus shift the member 42 generally rectilinearly at an angle toward case 12, and more specifically toward the edges 20a and 20b of guide track 20. Since member 42 is positioned at this angle with respect to the back of the case, the large force achieved through the toggle linkage has a downward component which shifts compressor plate 28 extremely tightly against the stack of cards. This moreover compresses all portions of the stack. The pivotal connection between collars 64 and the cross member of the U-shaped link 60 moves slightly past center to lock the unit in its compressed condition until it is desired to release the unit by lifting handle 38. Thus, the handle 38, link 60, and member 42 interact as a toggle linkage to hold compressor plate 28 downwardly to compress the stack of cards against the ledge 18 and lock the compressor plate 28 in this condition. In addition to the compression of the entire card area, it should be noted that the front edge of the compressor plate 28 is forced slightly more toward the cards than the remainder of the compressor, as represented by the slight tilt in the locked compressor plate 28 as shown in FIG. 3. This can occur since bracket 34 is pivotally mounted at its rear edge by having orifices which fit over tangs 27 of the slide element 26. When it rotates or pivots as the toggle becomes aligned, plate 28 to which bracket 34 is secured tilts also. This causes the cards to be held even more securely.

The third position of the compressor mechanism in the upright position is illustrated in FIG. 5. Here handle 38 has been rotated upwardly from its neutral position illustrated in FIG. 2 to cause the rearward edge 50 of the handle to depress the forward edge of member 42. This rotates member 42 against the bias of its spring 46 and releases it from contact with the case 12. Continued lifting will thus cause slide element 26 to move within guide 20 to raise the compressor mechanism out of contact with the cards. By then releasing handle 38, the raised member 42 is biased again into contact with the guide track to assume the poistion illustrated in FIG. 2. It holds at that position until the handle is moved again.

If it is desired to invert the card tray as illustrated in FIG. 8, including the compressor mechanism 14, the compressor element then acts as a flat card support. More specifically, when the compressor is inverted as shown in FIG. 8, and cards 16 are placed thereon, the compressor will not slide downwardly, but will hold by a friction grip against the guide track. This occurs since lever member 42 is at a downward angle, i.e. is diagonal, with respect to the back of the case. Thus, the more weight applied to flat surface 28 by the cards, the more the edges of lever or member 42 tend to dig into the case and hold securely. If it is desired to shift the compressor downwardly, i.e. toward the inverted top of the case 12, handle 38 is merely depressed to the position of FIG. 5 (although the entire compressor assembly is inverted) to release member 42 from contact with the case, and the mechanism is pushed down. When the handle is released again, spring 46 will bias member 42 into contact with the case again to hold it in the new position.

When the card tray is used in the inverted position, for example, to place individual cards in reverse order in the tray from a machine, the compressor mechanism 14 is preferably lowered completely to the inverted top of the tray as illustrated in FIG. 9-. In this position, the forward edges of side flanges 30 and 32 rest against handle 22 which acts as a partial stop. Since this handle stop abuts the compressor adjacent the front of the case, and since the bracket 34 is pivotally mounted at its rear end to tangs 27 of slide member 26, the weight of the compressor causes its rear edge to sink or tilt downwardly into the case against the resistance of spring 46. At this position, member 42 simultaneously rests upon the special inwardly turned flange 80 at the back of the case 12. Flange 80 is located substantially below the end of the track 20 sufliciently below handle 22 to allow the now upper surface 28 of the compressor to tilt downwardly with bracket 34 toward the inside of the case. Cards placed thereon will therefore tend to slide into the case instead of out of it. With the apparatus in this position, any number of cards may be successively placed o n the compressor. A crescent shaped cut out 29 enables the last cards on the inverted surface 28 to be readily picked off the surface if it is desired to remove cards from the inverted tray. It will be obvious that the cards may be unloaded from the inverted tray, and loaded into the upright tray, or vice Versa. The compressor may be shifted upwardly to compress the cards against surface 18. Compressor handle 38 is then pushed toward surface 28 to compress the cards and lock the mechanism in this position. Then, the case may be rotated to its upright position.

Operation The operation of the apparatus is fairly obvious from the description above and thus will be described only briefly. When using the device in the upright position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the user merely grasps handle 38 and lifts it to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. He continues to lift it to slide element 26 in the guide track to the raised position. Handle 38 is then released. Since member 42 is then biased against the outside of the guide track 20 to pull the sliding member 26 against the inside of the guide track, the unit then remains in this position.

Cards are then inserted or removed from the tray. Then handle 38 is rotated upwardly again to release member 42 as illustrated in FIG. 5, and the compressor mechanism is allowed to drop onto the cards 16. If it is desired to compress the cards, handle 38 is depressed, i.e. rotated downwardly as illustrated in FIG. 3 so that the three components of the toggle linkage, i.e. handle 38, link 60 and compressor member 42, are substantially aligned to shift member 42 against the case at an angle with respect thereto to obtain a downward compressing component. This uniformly compresses all of the cards against surface 18. By grasping handle 22, the card tray with the cards intact may be placed any place desired without fear of their falling out. Further, there is no danger of the cards becoming warped due to changing moisture and temperature conditions.

When it is desired to remove cards again, handle 38 is merely lifted to unlock the compressing mechanism. If the card tray is empty and it is desired to place cards individually in the tray in a reverse order as they emerge from a card reading machine, the tray is placed in the inverted position illustrated in FIG. 8 or 9. Preferably the compressor mechanism is lowered against the stop means comprising handle 22 and flange so that surface 28 assumes an inwardly slanted condition to prevent cards from falling out. Cards are then placed in the case or removed therefrom as desired. Since the compressor need not be removed from the case, the guide track may extend close to the end of the case, to thereby increase the card capacity over conventional cases requiring removal of the equivalent to the novel compressor. Then the compressor mechanism is pushed towards the cards and surface 18 to compress the cards in the same manner as in the upright condition.

Modification Referring specifically to FIGS. 11 and 12, the modified form of the assembly there illustrated is basically very similar to the construction illustrated in the first ten figures. It includes the same elongated csae 12 of generally U-shaped cross sectional configuration and receiving a sliding compressor assembly 114 very similar to compressor 14.

As illustrated, this compressor assembly 114 has the pair of laterally extending tabs 135a and 135b of handle mounting bracket 134 extending into slots 137a and 1371) respectively in the outstanding side flanges and 132 of the compressor plate 128. These slots are preferably formed in inwardly projecting deformed bosses 139a and 13%. These tabs secure the handle mounting bracket 134 to the compressor plate with a slightly movable connection. This improves the compressing action of the assembly when the handle is depressed.

The remaining portions of the construction are basically the same as those previously illustrated and described. The elongated handle 138 is pivotally mounted to handle mounting bracket 134, and particularly to flat base portion 134a that extends between and is integrally connected to upstanding flange legs 134b and 134a. The actual connection is made by portion 134a having a pair of tangs 136 struck and deformed upwardly and curled slightly forwardly, to fit within orifices 119 in handle member 138.

As previously, the rear end portion of handle 138 is pivotally connected to a U-shaped pivotal link 160 by a pair of axially aligned transversely oriented annular collars 164, to form a pivotal connection .on the cross leg of link 1 60. The two ends of link 160 form coaxial pivotal connections on an axis parallel to the pivot axis of collars 164 and to binding and releasing element 142. Specifically, the ends project into a pair of upstanding ears 156 on opposite sides of member 142. Member 142 is also pivotally mounted on its forward end to a pair of upstanding curled tabs 14011 which form part of slide member 126. Member 126 is just like member 26 shown in the previous figures. (It should be understood that the specific connections described and shown where one element has upstanding curled mounting and retention tabs extending through larger orifices in the connected member, limited pivotal movement is possible about this connection by reason of the orificed member being shiftable on the tabs in an angular manner.) As previously, slide member 126 is interfitted in the slot type ends of a slide track 120 formed into the elongated back of case 12. This slide track is formed, as before, by a pair of inwardly extending elongated projections 126a and 12612. An upper rear end portion of case 12 is curled over this track to form a retention flange 181 to help retain the sliding compressor assembly within case 12, assisted by handle 120E; extending across the case.

The operation of this modified form of the assembly is like the operation described with respect to the first form of the invention. That is, handle 138, link 160, and binding element 142 are shiftable between the three positions shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and of the drawings. The intermediate holding position is shown in FIG. 2 where tension spring 146 (or 46) pulls the binding element into frictional engagement with the back of the case and particularly with shoulders 142a and 14212 (or 42a and 42b). The released position is as in FIG. 5 where lifting of the free end of the handle lowers the opposite end to depress the underlying end of the binding element to lift its opposite end away from the case back. The locked binding position in FIG. 3 is caused by depression of the free end of the handle to straighten out the elbowlike angular orientation of the connection of link 160 (or 60) to the handle. At this position all three of the handle, the link, and the binding element are oriented in a like direction at a large acute angle to the case back and a small acute angle to the compressor plate. By generally aligning them in the same direction, their com- 'bined length end to end is all in one dimension. The overall length in this one dimension is therefore greater than it was when the linkage was buckled as in "FIG. 2, so that the handle and binding element tend to shift in opposite directions. Shifting of the handle along its length is limited by the play between the tabs 136 (or 36) and the tab receiving slots in the handle. -It therefore pushes the link and binding element along its length in the direction toward the case back to create a strong force against the case back. One vector component of this force is downwardly as indicated by the plurality of small arrows in FIG. 3 to compress the stack of cards. The linkage locks in this relationship by the pivotal elbow joint between the handle and link going slightly past linear, i.e. slightly past center, so that the legs of the link abut the inner edge of the handle member adjacent sockets 164 (or 64). The binding element has some freedom of movement along its length by play of its mounted connection on tabs a (or 40a), but is retained by these tabs from lifting away to buckle when under stress.

In addition to the cited advantages of ease of manipulation, uniform pressure applied, high compressive force provided, simplicity and inexpensiveness of structure, and capability of use in the inverted condition, various other advantages will undoubtedly occur to those in the art upon studying the foregoing specification and illustrated forms of the invention. Also, various obvious modifications may occur to those in the art to suit a particular purpose. These obvious modifications are deemed to be part of this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.

I claim:

1. A card tray assembly comprising: an elongated case including a bottom ledge adapted to support a stack of cards and an elongated back with a slide track thereon; a compressor slidably engaged with said tray and including means enabling it to move along said track, to hold in a particular portion along aid track, and to lock in a compressing condition in a particular position along said track; said means on said compressor including a slide movable along said back in said slide track, including a compressor plate means pivotally mounted .on said slide, a shiftable binding element having opposite first and second ends, said first end engageable with said back of said case at an acute angle thereto, and having said second end free; said binding element being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to said slide; said compressor plate means and said ledge being generally parallel and adapted to compress cards therebet-ween with actuation .of said compressor; a handle having opposite first and second ends, and an intermediate portion pivotally mounted on said compressor plate means, said first end of said handle being free and being adapted to be grasped and being movable toward and away from said compressor plate means; a link having a pivot axis attachment on one end to said binding element intermediate its ends, and having a second pivot axis attachment on its other end to the second end of said handle parallel to said binding element pivot axis attachment, so that said handle, link, and binding element are pivotally attached end to end, in that order, to form a linkage shiftable between a buckled non-aligned position and a commonly oriented generally aligned position at a first angle to said case back and at a second angle to said compression plate means; pivoting of said handle in one direction around its intermediate pivotal mounting toward said compressor plate means causing said linkage to become commonly oriented to shift said binding element along its length, tightly against said case at said first angle, causing said linkage to apply a force component to said compressor plate at said second angle to pivot said compressor plate means to compress a stack of cards, and pivoting of said handle in the opposite direction causing said linkage to buckle to shift to release the compressing action; and spring biasing means attached to said compressor plate means and also connected to said binding element in a manner to bias it toward engagement with said case to hold said compressor in a particular position along said track; means on said handle and said free end of said binding element engaging each other upon further pivoting of said handle in said other direction for moving said binding element out of engagement with said case against the bias of said spring.

2. The card tray in claim 1 wherein said elongated case has a back, an open front and top, and is intended to be positioned with its longitudinal dimension in a vertical position; stop means in said case at the top thereof and adjacent said open front; said stop means providing a lower limit of travel for and control the orientation of said slidable compressor when said case is inverted; said case also having additional stop means at the top thereof adjacent said back and positioned vertically above said first mentioned stop means when said case is in a normal upright position, and positioned slightly below said first mentioned stop means when said case is inverted; and said stop means and compressor interfitting when said case is inverted to cause said compressor to tilt inwardly and downwardly away from the open front of said inverted case, whereby cards can be individually placed and stacked on the inverted compressor in the inverted case without falling out.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 631,772 8/ 1899 Bein 129-29 5 3,049,126 8/1962 Myers 129-28 3,057,358 10/1962 Bergman 129-28 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,868 3 1960 Canada.

10 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARD TRAY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: AN ELONTAGED CASE INCLUDING A BOTTOM LEDGE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A STACK OF CARDS AND AN ELONGATED BACK WITH A SLIDE TRACK THEREON; A COMPRESSOR SLIDABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID TRAY AND INCLUDING MEANS ENABLING IT TO MOVE ALONG SAID TRACK, TO HOLD IN A PARTICULAR PORTION ALONG SAID TRACK, AND TO LOCK IN A COMPRESSING CONDITION IN A PARTICULAR POSITION ALONG SAID TRACK; SAID MEANS ON SAID COMPRESSOR INCLUDING A SLIDE MOVABLE ALONG SAID BACK IN SAID SLIDE TRACK, INCLUDING A COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SLIDE, A SHIFTABLE BINDING ELEMENT HAVING OPPOSITE FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, SAID FIRST END ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID BACK OF SAID CASE AT AN ACUTE ANGLE THERETO, AND HAVING SAID SECOND END FREE; SAID BINDING ELEMENT BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS OT SAID SLIDE; SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS AND SAID LEDGE BEING GENERALLY PARALLEL AND ADAPTED TO COMPRESS; CARDS THEREBETWEEN WITH ACTUATION OF SAID COMPRESSOR; A HANDLE HAVING OPPOSITE FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS, SAID FIRST END OF SAID HANDLE BEING FREE AND BEING ADPATED TO BE GRASPED AND BEING MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS; A LINK HAVING A PIVOT AXIS ATTACHMENT ON ONE END TO SAID BINDING ELEMENT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, AND HAVING A SECOND PIVOT AXIS ATTACHMENT ON ITS OTHER END TO THE SECOND END OF SAID HANDLE PARALLE TO SAID BINDING ELEMENT PIVOT AXIS ATTACHMENT, SO THAT SAID HANDLE, LINK, AND BINDING ELEMENT ARE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED END TO END, IN THAT ORDER, TO FORM A LINKAGE SHIFTABLE BETWEEN A BUCKLED NON-ALIGNED POSITION AND A COMMONLY ORIENTED GENERALLY ALIGNED POSITION AT A FIRST ANGLE TO SAID CASE BACK AND AT A SECOND ANGLE TO SAID COMPRESSION PLATE MEANS; PIVOTING OF SAID HANDLE IN ONE DIRECTION AROUND ITS INTERMEDIATE PIVOTAL MOUNTING TOWARD SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS CAUSING SAID LINKAGE TO BECOME COMMONLY ORIENTED TO SHIFT SAID BINDING ELEMENT ALONG ITS LENGTH, TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID CASE AT SAID FIRST ANGLE, CAUSING SAID LINKAGE TO APPLY A FORCE COMPONENT TO SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS TO COMPRESS ANGLE TO PIVOT SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS TO COMPRES A STACK OF CARDS, AND PIVOTING OF SAID HANDLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CAUSING SAID LINKAGE TO BUCKLE TO SHIFT TO RELEASE THE COMPRESSING ACTION; AND SPRING BIASING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID COMPRESSOR PLATE MEANS AND ALSO CONNECTED TO SAID BINDING ELEMENT IN A MANNER TO BIAS IT TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CASE TO HOLD SAID COMPRESSOR IN A PARTICULAR POSITION ALONG SAID TRACK; MEANS ON SAID HANDLE AND SAID FREE END OF SAID BINDING ELEMENT ENGAGING EACH OTHER UPON FURTHER PIVOTING OF SAID HANDLE IN SAID OTHER DIRECTION FOR MOVING SAID BINDING ELEMENT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CASE AGANIST THE BIAS OF SAID SPRING. 